The GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin noted analyst Pierre McGuire is "alive and thriving on NBC and Versus," but is seldom heard in Canada these days on TV. Dowbiggin wrote,"How you feel about that can range from nostalgia to relief, but there’s little doubt McGuire, a former coach in Hartford and Pittsburgh, changed the role of analyst from his perch between the benches." McGuire "tirelessly explored the coaching strategy, relayed by-play between benches from his spot at ice level, and soldiered on against some of the hammerhead tendencies in the game." Dowbiggin noted it is "hard to think of many former bench bosses who’ve made the impression on the medium that McGuire has since popping up at TSN" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/5).
CURIOUS CASE: In N.Y., Larry Brooks noted of "all the contracts signed this summer, the 10-year, $2 billion deal the NHL gave to Comcast/NBC is the most curious." There may be "every good reason" for the league to be on NBC and Versus, but for the NHL to have "essentially made an inside deal that lasts for a decade in which there are no triggers, no escalators, no options, no out-clauses, regardless of the ratings or other potential opportunities, is as short-sighted as it gets." Brooks: "Unless, of course, the deal has something to do with the fact the NHL has full lockout protection for next season and will receive its $150 million or $155 million (the rights fee increases somewhere around 4-percent a year over the course of the deal) even if there isn’t a single game played" (N.Y. POST, 12/4).
BROADWAY BLUES: In N.Y., Pat Leonard noted Rangers D Dan Girardi "could be the breakout star of HBO's 24/7, which profiles the Rangers leading up to the 2012 Winter Classic against the Flyers." Rangers F Ryan Callahan said, "When you get to know him he’s sarcastic and has his little remarks, and I think that’ll come out in the HBO series." Leonard noted the Rangers moved yesterday's pregame skate "from Greensburgh to Madison Square Garden presumably for HBO's sake as the 24/7 taping really takes off" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/5). Meanwhile, MSG Network's telecasts of Rangers games are averaging a 0.8 local rating through 20 telecasts, up 7% compared to the same point last season. Last Monday's game against the Penguins earned a season-high 1.6 local rating, which also marks the net's top regular-season game rating since the Rangers' regular-season finale last year against the Flyers (2.72 rating) (MSG).
